Autumn Confessions

The autumn air was crisp as Maya walked through the park, her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat. The golden leaves crunched beneath her boots, and the scent of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts lingered in the air. It was her favorite time of year, yet today, her heart felt heavier than usual.

She glanced at the small café across the street—the one she and Daniel used to visit every weekend. Memories flooded back: the warmth of his laughter, the way he always ordered an extra croissant for her even when she insisted she wasn’t hungry. It had been three months since their breakup, and yet, the wound still felt fresh.

Maya sighed, tightening her scarf. Just as she was about to turn away, she heard a familiar voice.

“Maya?”

She froze, her heart skipping a beat before she turned around. Daniel stood a few feet away, hands in the pockets of his jacket, his hazel eyes searching hers.

“Hey, Daniel,” she managed, forcing a small smile.

“I was just grabbing coffee,” he said, motioning to the café. “Do you—would you want to join me?”

Maya hesitated. She knew it wasn’t a good idea. They had agreed to move on. And yet, something in his voice—soft, uncertain—made her nod. “Yeah. Okay.”

The café smelled of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries. They found a small table by the window, the silence between them filled with the hum of conversations around them.

“How have you been?” Daniel asked after a moment.

“Good,” she lied. “Busy. You?”

“Same,” he said, but she could tell he wasn’t being entirely honest either.

They fell silent again, each stirring their coffee, neither willing to say what truly weighed on their hearts.

Finally, Daniel exhaled. “I miss you, Maya.”

Her fingers tightened around her cup. “Daniel…”

“I know,” he said quickly. “I know we said we’d move on. But these past few months—God, Maya, every time I pass by this café, I think of you. Of us. And I hate how we left things.”

Maya looked down, her throat tightening. “We had reasons, Daniel. We weren’t in the same place.”

“I know,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I stopped loving you.”

Her breath hitched. She wasn’t prepared for this. For him to say it out loud.

“Tell me you don’t feel the same,” he continued, his voice quieter now. “And I swear, I’ll walk away.”

Maya opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. She thought of the empty mornings without his good-morning texts, the way her heart ached whenever she heard his favorite song.

“I… I don’t know,” she whispered. “I tried to move on, but—”

Daniel reached across the table, covering her hand with his. “Then don’t.”

She looked up, meeting his gaze, and in that moment, she knew. The past didn’t have to define them. Maybe this time, they could get it right.

A small smile broke through her hesitation. “Okay.”

And just like that, autumn felt warm again.